Motion-picture film reel supporting and driving apparatus



Oct. 7, 1947. F. J. WENZEL MOTION PICTURE FILM REEL SUPPORTING AND DRIVING APPARATUS Filed March 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mum J8 Oct. ,7, 1947 J WENZEL I 2,428,538

MOTION PICTURE FILM REEL; SUPPORTING AND DRIVING APPARATIiS Filed March 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet? Patented Oct. 7, i947 AND DRIVING APPARATUS Fred J. Wenzel, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 8, 1945, Serial No. 581,664

9 Claims. (Cl. 24270) This invention relates to motion picture film reel supporting and drivingapparatus.

One of the difficulties heretofore experienced in connection with the use of: motion picture film reels upon film rewinding devices, as well as in projectors and the like, has been the fact that after such reels become Wound with a considerable length of film they become heavy and exert a drag upon the driving connection between the film reel and. its rotarysupporting shaft. One result of this is thatwh'en it is necessary to start and stop the film reel the inertia of the heavily loaded reel tends to shear the driving connection between the supporting shaft and the reel. Thisdriving connection has heretofore commonly been in the form of a key. and slot connection and the tendency to shear. is most frequently experienced in the use of film reels upon automatic and hand rewinding devices used in theaters for rewinding 35 mm. film. In examining such films for possible breaks or tears it is frequently necessary for the operator to stopand start the rewinding apparatus and it is during the starting operation that the tendencyof the driving connection to shear off, due to the inertia of the heavily loaded reel, is experienced. However, the same difficulty is experienced in the use of commercial motion picture projectors and particularly in'starting'up the take-up reel'after it has been wound with a substantial length of film.

, Various attempts have been made heretofore to solve the, foregoing and related difficulties experienced in the use of motion picture film reels and supporting'shafts therefor and among such attempts has been the provision of an auxiliary driving connection between'the film reel supporting shaft and a film-reel carried thereby, said auxiliary driving connection having the form of afixed laterally projecting arm carried by the film-reel-supporting shaft and engageable in an opening in the hub of the film reel. However, such auxiliarydriving connections have not been entirely satisfactory due to the fact that the auxiliary driving arm has been permanently attached to a disc on the film reel-supporting shaft and it has, therefora been impossible to accommodate said auxiliarydriving arm to film reels having hubs of varying. or different diameters or to film reel hubs having disc-shaped portions provided with apertures spaced at different radial distances fromthe axial center of the hub of the film reel, or to so-called film exchange reels which are formed'of a pair of thin sheet metal side walls inthe-form' of a pair of discs spaced and connected by ahub. This has necessitated re-,

made by various manufacturers as well as for- V 2 moving the aforesaid auxiliary driving arm and its mounting entirely from the film reel-supporting shaft'when changing from one type of'film reel to another "and then relying entirely on the primary driving connection, namely, the fixed key and slot driving connection between the film reel and the film reel-supporting, shaft hereinbefore referred to, thereby causing a loss of effectiveness in the use of such auxiliary driving connections due, in a substantial measure, to their lack of adaptability.

Moreover, in the use of the aforesaid auxiliary driving connection between a film reel and its rotary driving shaft it has been necessary, when removing the'auxiliary driving arm and its supporting member from the film reel-supporting shaft, to remove the entire unit including the key which engages in the key slot to form the primary driving connection between the film reel and its rotary supporting shaft, thereby requiring the expenditure of a substantial amount of time and labor.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved simple but efficient driving connection between a film reel and its rotary supporting shaft and which in use overcomes and is free from the foregoing and other objectionable features of and takes the place of both the primary and the auxiliary driving connections between film reels and their rotary supporting shafts heretofore used in the art.

Another object of the present invention is to construct and arrange the new driving connection in such a manner that it may readily be adapted for use with various types of film reels use with so-called film exchange reels with only a simple and readily made adjustment and without removing the entire driving connection fromthe rotary film reel-supporting shaft as has been' Another object of theinvention is to providea novel driving connection between a motion picture film reel and its rotary supporting shaft and which is so constructed that it facilitates the mounting upon and the removalfrom the reel- 3 supporting shaft of a disc-shaped supporting member which forms a part of the new driving connection between the rotary supporting shaft and a, film reel carried thereby.

An additional object of the invention resides .in constructing the new driving connection be- 4; in the drawings but it will be understood that it may also be used in conjunction with the feed reel [2, if desired, or in conjunction with film reels used in hand-operated film-rewinding devices, or in conjunction with the supporting or driving shafts for the feed reels and take-up reels of motion picture projectors, and the like.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the take-up reel ll embodies two parallel rows of axially spaced inner and outer spokes 23 and 26; respectively, which are integrally attached to and radiate from central hub portions 25 and 2511, respectively. The hub portions 25 and 25a of the reel II are provided with openings 25 and 26a, respectively, for

tion and claims and are illustrated in the accom- 7 panying drawings which, by Way of illustration,

show preferred embodiments of the invention and" the'principles thereof and what I now consider to be the best modesin which I hav e contemplated applying those principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be madeas desired by those skilled in the art without departing fr'omthe present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is an elevationalview showing the present invention as embodied in a motion picture film rewinding apparatus; 7

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig 1; I a I 7 Fig. 3 is a View on line 3;3 in Fig. 2 partly in section and partly in elevation;

Fig. l is a vertical sectional View on line ili inFig.3; V j

I Fig. hisa view on line 5-5 in Fig, 4 partly in section and partly in elevation;

- ig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View on line +5 'g- Fig. '7 is a fragmentaryvertical sectional view showing certain parts of the present invention forming-a driving connection between rotary film reel supporting shaft and a so-called film exchange type of film reel mounted thereon; and

fig. 8 is afragmentary sectional detail view on lin e-8 8- in Fig. 7. a

Atypical embodiment and use of the invention are illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, of the drawings wherein the invention is shownas associated with, and as embodied'in, a film rewinding apparatus which includes a take-up reel l I of the typeadapted for use in conjunction with '35 mm. film, and a feed reel [-2.

. The take-up reel II is mounted upon a supporting shaft. [3 which,-in'turn, is journaled in the hub 41 of supporting standard l4, and the feed reel I2 is mounted, upon a supporting shaft 15 which is carried by a supporting standard Hi.

The take-up reel ll is driven by a belt 11 which works'over a pulley .I8 carried by the supportin shaft l3 and this belt is driven by a pulley l9 carriedby the shaft of an operating motor unit 2|. As shown in Fig. 1,the operating motor unit 2 I, feed reel l2, and take-up reel H are mounted upon a common supporting base 22,.proViding .a portable unit.

The. construction thus far described forms no part of the present invention and is' herein -illus.

the reception of the rotary film reel-supporting shaft 13 and the supporting shaft i3 has a latch lever 21 pivotally mounted thereon, at one end thereof, as at 28, so as to retain the take-up reel II in position upon its supporting shaft :3 and against displacement axially thereof, when in use. Each of the hubrportions 25and 25a of the reel H is also providedwith'anjannularrowof openings 42 for the selective reception, of a driving pin 38, 'as will be explained more fullyhereinafter. L In the practice of the present invention, I provide a novel driving connection between the rotary film reel-supporting shaft 13 and the takeup reel II and this novel driving"connection includes a key slot 29 which is provided in the shaft l3 and extends axially thereof, 'an'd'a latch key 353 which is movable into and out of latching-posh tion in and relative to the key slot 29, this latch key 38 being mounted in a manner which will be described hereinafter. 1 V

The new driving connection; includes a substantialiy annular "or disc-shaped supporting member 3! which isremovably mounted upon'the shaft l3. The disc 3| includes a central boss portion 35 formed on the hub thereof and this boss portion 35 has a central opening 32 formed there'- in for thereception'of the shaft 13 and the disc 31 is detachably keyed to the shaft l3, as at 33, so as to rotate with theshaft I3 at one side of the hub 4'! 'of the standard '14 and between the hub M of the standard 1'4 and the film red I on theshaft I3.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the latch key 30 is pivotaliy mounted, as at 3 5, upon the boss 35 which is formed "at the hub of the disc 31' so that the armof the latch key 30 maybe movedinto and out of a positionv in which it is disposed in,

right angles to the long axis of the shaft l3,'an; 1

when the'ke 3f! is-in this position (as in Fig '6') the hub portion 39 thereof cooperates' with r the key slot 29 to form ad'riving connection between the disc "31 and the rotary "fil'm' reel-supporting shaft [3. When thus disposed in one of itstwo' possible effective positions (as maybe seen by reference to Figs. 4,5 and 60f the drawings), the

armor body of the latch key 3fl'extendssub- I stanti'all'y parallel-to the adjacent face 'of the disc 3| and lies between the hub 35 of the disc 31 and the film reel II, with it's-outer surface sub-V stant'ially flush with the outer "faceor surface of thehub 35ofthe'disc3l. 1 v i However, the pivot'or pin 34, by means bf which the latch key 39' is pivotally mounted upon the hub :35 of the disc 31, is so disposed with'r'frence to the periphery of the shaft I3, andwith reference to the axisof the slot 29 therein, that the latch key 30 may be pivoted into a second alternative position in which the body or arm of the latch key 30 lies within the key slot 29. When so disposed the latch key 30 not only provides a driving connection between the-disc 3| and the shaft I3 but it may also when in this position be used to provide a driving connection between a so-called film exchange type of film reel. This use of the latch key 30 is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 and will be referred to more fully hereinafter.

Film reels, such as the reels II and I2, are made in various styles and sizes by different manufacturers and are specifically adapted to support a predetermined length of -film of a particular width, such as 16 mm. or 35 mm. film, and such film reels have hubs of varying constructions and diameters.

In order to accommodate the new driving connection to film reels made by different manufacturers, and which have hubs of varying constructions and diameters, I provide in the disc 3| a primary row or group of threaded sockets 36 and a secondary row or group of threaded sockets 31. These two groups or rows of threaded sock-- ets 36 and 31 are arranged radially, in alignment, but are spaced approximately 180 apart on opposite sides of the center of the hub 25-25a of the reel II. I also provide a driving element in the form of a pin 38 which has a threaded axially inner end portion which is selectively insertable into any one of the primary row of sockets 3B or into any one of the secondary or auxiliary row of sockets 31.

In that use of the invention which is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the disc 3| may be mounted upon the rotary supporting shaft I3 of the take-up reel II of a film rewinding device, such as is shown, or upon both the take-up .reel and the feed reel of a film rewinding de- Vice, or upon the rotary supporting shaft for the take-up reel or the supporting shaft for the feed reel of a. motion picture projector, or the like. This mounting of the disc 3| upon the shaft I3 is accomplished by merely inserting the shaft I3 through the central opening 32 in the hub of the disc 3 I.

When thus inserted into position upon the film-reel supporting shaft I3, the disc 3| may be keyed thereto, as at 33, to prevent movement of the disc axially of the shaft I 3, whereupon the driving element or pin 38 may be inserted into a selected one of the primary row or group of threaded sockets 36. The latch key 30 may then be moved into the position in which it isshown in Fig. 5 and in full lines in Fig. 6, whereupon the film reel I I may be slipped onto the shaft I3 with the driving pin 38 inserted into one of the openings 42 in the hub portion 25a of the reel II, The latch lever 21 may then be moved into retaining or latching position, as shown in Fig. 4. In the use of the film rewinding device in which the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, is embodied, the operating motor unit 2| may then be set in motion whereupon the same will act through the shaft 20, pulley I9, belt I1, and pulley I8 to rotate the rotary film-reel-supporting shaft I3 for the take-up reel II which, in turn, will then act through the fil 40 to rotate the feed reel I2.

' As pointed out hereinbefore, it is frequently necessary to stop and start film rewinding'devices, for. the purpose of enabling the operator to examine the film for possible breaks therein or other damage thereto, as well as for other reasons, and it has been found that when the takeup reel II is heavily loaded with the film 40 there is a tendency during the starting operation for the inertia of the heavily loaded reel II to shear the primary driving connection which has been customarily afforded heretofore by an ordinary key and slot connection between the film reel-supporting shaft and the film reel.

However, I have found that by providing the driving connection of the present invention, and which is provided by the disc 3I, and the key 30 pivotally mounted thereon, and having a hub portion 39 engageable in the slot 29 in the shaft I3, and the driving element or pin 38, the heavily loaded reel will readil be driven partly through engagement of the driving element or pin 38 in an opening 42 in the hub portion 25 of the reel II and partly through engagement of the hub portion 39 of the latch lever 30 in the slot 29 in the shaft I3.

I have also found that the use of the novel driving connection between the film reel II and its rotary supporting shaft I3, which is provided by the pivoted latch key 30 and slot 23, facilitates the insertion of the disc 3|, which forms part of the driving connection between the shaft 53 and the reel Ii, onto the supporting shaft I3 as well as its removal therefrom, and without disassembling the entire unit as has been required heretofore in the art. Thus it will be seen that in removing the disc unit SI of the driving connection 3I3638 from its supporting shaft Is it is merely necessary to move the latch lever 2! into axial alignment with the shaft I3, slip the reel II off from the shaft I3, loosen the set screw 33, move the pivoted latch key 30 into the slot 29 (as in dotted line position, Fig. 6), and then slip the disc 3I o-fi from the shaft I3, the latch key 36 riding up on the tapered end of the slot 29 into parallel alignment with the periphery of the shaft I3 exteriorly thereof during the movement of the disc 3i along the shaft.

As pointed out hereinbefore, film reels for use in film rewinding devices, and film reels for use in motion picture projectors, are made by various manufacturers in various styles and shapes and includes hubs of varying constructions and diameters. In order, therefore, to accommodate the new driving connection to such difierent film reels, having hubs of different diameters I provide the primary row of threaded sockets 36 which are radially aligned in the disc 3| at one side of its center and the driving element or pin 38 may be selectively inserted into a preselected one of the sockets 33 so as to accommodate the pin 38 to film reels having hubs of difierent diameters and shapes and to various arrangements of holes or apertures in the disc-shaped hub portions of such film reels.

The secondary or auxiliary row of threaded sockets 3? is provided in the disc ill of the auxiliary driving connection between the film reel I I and its supporting shaft I3 so that in the event that the threads in the threaded sockets which are embodied in the primary row of threaded sockets 36 become worn the driving pin 38 may be inserted into one of the threaded sockets 3! in the auxiliary or secondary row of sockets 3?.

The use of the invention in the manner in which it is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 will now be described and in these figures those parts of the invention which are similar to corresponding parts embodied in the form of the invention shown in Figs. l to 6, inclusive, have been given similar reference numeralsfollowd by'tlf 'e addi' 'tional reference character a. x l l As referred to hereinbefore, the latch lzeytil "is disposed in the position-inlwhich' itis in Fig. --5 and in-the position 'in which it is sh vvn in full lines inFig. Gjwhen the" driving element or pin 38 is engaged i'n one of the openings 62in the hub portion off tliie reel H, as af'part of the driving connection between therctary film recl-supporting shaft asses the film reel 'IIL When in this position, the'hub portion 3 9' of the key 3i! engages in'the key slot zfi in'the sha'ft' i3 and forms a drivingconnec'tion between tlie sh aft l3 and thedisc 31 carried thereby." lfIoWeverQas pointed hereinbefore, there are certain types of "manufactured film reels, known as film exchange reels; with which the driving element .or in 358 cannot be used since such film reels embody substantial-1y solid and non-apertured disc-shaped side walls rather than apertured hub portions such asare'embodied'in the film reel i I. Such a so-called film exchange reel is fragmentarily shown in Figs. 7 and 81 1" the drawings, wherein it is generally indicated at 43, and comprises a pair of disc-shaped hub portions l i. It is not practical to put holes or openings in the disc-shaped hub portions 4% of such so-called film exchange reels, such as the reel 43, for the reception of a driving element or pin such as the pin 38. However, each of the hub portions i i of such film exchange reels 43, is shown in Figs. '7 and 8, is provided with a key slot 45 (Fig. 8). Hence when it is desired to 'mount such a so-called film exchange reel 43 on the shaft lSa this may be accomplish d by merely removing the driving element or pin 33 from the disc 36a, while allowing the disc Si to remain upon the shaft l3a, moving the latch key 36a into position in the slot 29a, parallel to the shaft 33a, Fig. 6, slipping the film exchange reel 53 onto the shaft [3a, and then moving the retaining latch or lever 21a into effective position. When the so-called film exchange reel 43 is thus mounted on the rotary film reel-supporting shaft iiia the latch key 30a is disposed in the key slot 29a in the shaft 3a, and extends parallel to the axis of the shaft 3a, and provides a driving connection between the film exchange reel 43 and its rotary film reel-supporting shaft 53a.

Hence it will be seen that the new driving connection may be readily adjusted for use in conjunction with various types of motion picture film reels now in use, and made by different manufacturers, by merely inserting the driving element or pin 38 into a selected one of the threaded sockets 36 or 3? in the disc 3}, and manipulating the latch key 30 into one of its two alternative effective positions, as in full lines Fig. 6; and it will also be seen that the new driving connection may be readily adjusted for use with so-called film exchange reels, such as the film exchange reel 53, by removingthe driving element or pin 38 from the disc 3i and moving the latch key 39 into the alternative position in which it is shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and as shown in dotted lines in .Fig. 6.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawingspthat the present'invention accomplishes its intended objects, and hasthe desirable advantages and characteristics, including those herein'bef ore pointed out and others which are inherent intheinvention.

'1. Apparatus of the character described corn; prising) in combination, a rotary motion picture film rieksupporting shaft, and means providing'a driving connection between the said rotar y'filiri reelsupporting shaft and a film reel mounted thereon, said meansincluding a slot formed in said rotary reelsupporting shaft and extending axially thereof, a supporting member arr ed by id sha and a me b a oa mounted upon the said supporting member and engageable in the said slot in the said shaft.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the said driving connection includes a driving element carried by said supporting member and adapted to engage a portion of the film reel mounted upon the said film reel-supporting shaft at a predetermined distance radially from and relative to the axis of said rotary film reel-sup porting shaft. r j V 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in whichthe said supporting member is in the form of; a disc remo ablv mo ted up th a d, ary m reel-supporting shaft and in which the said driving connection includes adriving pin mounted upon the said disc in axial alignment with but spaced radially from the axis of said rotary film reel-supporting shaft and in which said driving pin is engageable with a portion of the film reel mounted upon the said rotary film reel-supporting shaft.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which 7 the said supporting .mernber has the form of a disc removably mounted upon the said rotary film reel-supporting shaft and haying a row of thr eaded sockets formed therein with thesaid row of threaded sockets extending radially in the said. disc-shaped supporting member relative to the axis of thesaid rotary film reelesupporting shaft, and in which the said driving connection includes a driving pin .havinga threaded portion selectively insertable into any one of the said threaded sock- 1 ets in the said .row of the same, and in which said driving pin is adapted to having driving engagernent with a portion of a film reel carried by;

the said rotary film reel-supporting shaft.

,5. Apparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a rotary motion picture film-reel supporting shaft,-and"means providing a driving connection between the said rotary film reel-supporting shaft and a film reel mounted thereon, said means comprisinga-key slotformed in'thepcriphery of said rotary .film reel-support ingshaft and extending axially thereof, a sup parting member removably mounted upon the said rotary film reel-supporting shaft at theaxial 1y inner end thereof, and a latch key pivotally mounted upon the said supporting member and engageable in the said key slot.

GIApparatus of the character described comprising, in combination, a rotary motion picture film reel-supportin shaft, and means providing ilsks slu qr n s a t an mean pr idin a driving connection between the said rotary film reel-supporting shaft and a film reel mounted thereon, said means comprising a key slot formed in the periphery of said rotary film reel-supporting shaft andextending axially thereof, a supporting member removably mounted upon the said rotary film reel-supporting shaft at the axially inner end thereof, and a latch key pivotally mounted upon the said supporting member and having an arm portion engageable in the said key slot.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim in which the said supporting member is substantially discshaped and includes a hub provided with an opening for the reception of the said film reel-supporting shaft and in which the said hub of said disc-shaped supporting member has a laterally projecting boss thereon at one side of said disc, and in which said latch key has a portion pivotally mounted upon the said boss and engageable in the said key slot in said shaft to provide a driving connection between said disc-shaped supporting member and said rotary film reel-supporting shaft.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which the said supporting member is substantially discshaped and includes a hub provided with an opening for the reception of the said film reel-supporting shaft and in which the said hub of said discshaped supporting member has a laterally projecting boss thereon at one side of said disc, and in which said latch key has a portion pivotally mounted upon the said boss and enga eable in the said key slot in said shaft to provide a driving connection between said disc-shaped supporting member and said rotary film reel-supporting shaft, and in which said latch key has an arm portion adapted to lie within the said key slot in the said shaft and in axial alignment with said shaft so as to provide a driving connection between the said rotary film reel-supporting shaft and a film reel carried thereby.

FRED J. WENZEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,840,926 Williams Jan. 12, 1932 2,254,605 Foster Sept. 2, 1941 

